D&D on NBC??

Do you watch the show Community on NBC? I don't, but when I heard they had an episode about Dungeons & Dragons, I couldn't miss it! It seems I wasn't alone in this, and Scott Bennie, a member of one of the Yahoo Groups I frequent, had some interesting thoughts about the episode as well. His comments, after the episode (embedded video from Hulu.com):

The neatest thing about the episode is that its premise is a conscious repudiation of the 80s D&D scare. This is a Dungeons and Dragons game designed to *prevent* a suicide, as opposed to the "Radecki/Pulling D&D causes suicide" tripe of the 80s.

The group, instead of "trying to snap Neil" back to reality, which is the usual trope of a mainstream handling of an "escape is for the weak, RPG is evil" episode, is actively trying to use his fantasy to bolster his self-esteem, even when many of them don't particularly get it. Jeff may think the game is silly, but he understands the importance of the sword to Neil, though Neil's agenda dovetails with his own when it comes to Pierce. The one person who tries to make Neil "see reality" is Pierce, who ironically is far better than adapting to the milieu than the others, despite saying the game is "gay" and "stupid', showing contempt for the trappings of the genre (his obscene acts with Neil's sword, his eventual pathetic descent to using the "rape button", at the end, when confronted with the banality of his evil).

Neil's triumph isn't his repudiation of fantasy (as in most anti-RPG media depictions), nor is it his victory in a fantasy that's solely escapist (as one might expect in a blindly pro-RPG piece), but, when presented with a fantasy antagonist that's using the game as a passive-aggressive attack on him in the real world, he manages to recognize its pathetic qualities and, via an act of pity and grace, use it to achieve a victory in both worlds. The show's not damning escape nor lionizing it, but recognizing it as having value as long as the individual is capable of dealing with the real world.

It also plays into what I've said for years is the true capacity for evil in our hobby, not content -- these players are not going to become more violent or drawn into the occult from playing this game -- but in the capacity of being a tool that someone can use to be a creep and do people serious psychological harm, to act as a vessel to give reign to our darker (as the show would call it, most dickish) impulses. The group coming together, however, is a demonstration of what I think is RPG's greatest strength: It's potential to draw people into a communal experience that cements friendship, and reinforcing values of compassion that go beyond what's at the game table.

What are your thoughts?

D&D Essentials Explained

I was wandering through YouTube during lunch today and came across this set of videos from Wizards of the Coast. Paul Bazakas, National Account Director and Mike Mearls, Group Manager of D&D R&D explain not only the content but also the reasoning behind the Essentials line and how it fits together with the fourth edition of Dungeons and Dragons. I'll reserve my comments until the end of the 3rd video...









Wow. Well, I must say, all of my worries and misconceptions are gone. The Essentials line is an addition to fourth edition D&D just as if a new Players Handbook or Monster Manual was released. It is not to replace anything! This is great news! I'm willing to embrace expansions on the current system (especially at the lower price point) easier than if Essentials really was a different version of 4E. Thank you Mike and Paul for filming this and putting me at ease.

Personally, I'm not interested in the tokens (I have over 350 miniatures) but I can see how new players would not have the same kind of existing resources I have collected over time.

Product Review: Dungeon Tiles Master Set

So there I was, standing in my friendly local game store (FLGS)...on pay day, no less. Funny how that always seems to happen. I my eyes panned across the bookshelf, my eyes were caught by the glimmer of light off a shrink-wrapped box off to the side. Yes! Today, the Dungeon Tiles Master Set - The Dungeon: An Essential Dungeons & Dragons Accessory (4th Edition D&D) would be mine!





I love dungeon tiles, grid maps, gaming paper, printed maps, purchasable 3d terrain, and even homemade 3d terrain. No matter what it is, I feel the tiles and terrain can always help increase the fun factor of the game. Now, just because I enjoy those things doesn't mean I'm willing to just throw money away on lots of low quality gaming aids. I became excited as I read the promotional material plastered around the Dungeon Tiles Master Set box: "This accessory contains 10 double-sided sheets of illustrated, die-cut terrain tiles printed on heavy cardstock, allowing you to create dungeon rooms, corridors, and outdoor locales. The product box is designed for tile storage and can be used as a terrain element in the game!" Sounds like a match made in heaven!

Overall Product

PROs Price $19.99 at FLGS $13.59 at Amazon.com The Box It is nice to have an actual container for the dungeon tiles for a change. The box is made in such a way that it can be used as terrain as well.

CONs The Box The box is big but only comes with 10 sheets of tiles and a cardboard insert that takes up half the box. Of course, this could be a PRO since it is bigger than the tiles and other tiles can be stored in the box as well.

The Tiles

PROs There is a nice selection of different sizes. Most tiles are reprints of older set that are not available anymore. The tiles are made of thick, durable material and not just thin sheets of paper.

CONs No real CONs here.

The Art

PROs The art is nicely illustrated, as expected from WoTC when it comes to tiles. Several varying pieces including rough terrain, doors, stairs, and prison bars. All large pieces and most smaller pieces have just empty, stone floor squares on the back.

CONs All large pieces and most smaller pieces have just empty, stone floor squares on the back. Yes, I listed this as a PRO, but it seems like the easy way out of providing more detailed pieces. A handful of tiles are just blank on the back, even more empty, stone floor squares are better than nothing. 2 of 14 2x4s are just black on one side 3 of 12 2x2s are just black on one side 1 of 10 2x1s is just black on one side 2 of 8 single square tiles are just black on one side

Celebrity D&D at Gen Con!

Sadly, I've never had the chance to travel to Indiana for Gen Con. I am trying to schedule things for next year, we'll see what happens, but in the mean time I try to soak up everything I can via various blogs, twitter, and other sites featuring information about the goings on at Gen Con. I recently came across an amazing find! There was a celebrity D&D game run one evening at Gen Con featuring Author Ed Greenwood, Artist Larry Elmore, and Author R.A. Salvatore with WoTC's Senior Producer of D&D RPGs Chris Perkins as the Dungeon Master. Below is the 7 part series as posted on YouTube. One of the players from the crowd is Matt James from one of my favorites D&D websites: Loremaster.org.
















That was pretty thrilling for me to watch and makes me more interested in the new Red Box. Originally I didn't want to purchase it or anything from the Essentials line because I've spent several hundreds of dollars on source books for 4th edition, but the Red Box does seems to be a nice way to easily introduce new people to that game we all love: Dungeons & Dragons.